Slide fastener



Aug. 9, 1960 A. sum

SLIDE FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1957 INVENTOR. AA/z/v A. 5/44 $5M SLIDE FASTENER Filed Feb. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 640,249

1 Claim. (Cl.24--205.11)

Thisinvention relates to slide fasteners, and more particularly to an improvedinterlocking fastener element and slider therefor. j

In a conventional slide fastener, there is usually provided a pair of stringer tapes having a'series of spacedapart interlocking fastener elements attached tothe opposed edges thereof. There is arranged on the elements for longitudinal movement therealong, a slider for engaging and disengaging the fastener elements in a well known manner. In the slider, there is provideda channel into and through which the fastener elements pass in the closing and opening movement of the slider. In the type of fastener which completely separates, there -is usually provided a separating end connection consisting generally of a box-like retainer member attached to the end of one of the stringers and a pin-like member attached to the end of the other stringer which eng'ageswith the retainer to hold the ends of the fastener together when the fastener is closed. Oftentimes the slider will tend to twist on the stringer when the pin-like member is disassembled or out of engagement with the retainer thereby making it difficult to insert the pin-like member through the slider channel into its seated position in the retainer. This was due primarily to the fact that the slider channel was out of alignment with the retainer. It is to an improved fastener element and slider design to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantage that the present invention relates.

Accordingly, it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved fastener element which co-operates with means carried by the slider and the separating end connection so as to insure proper alignment of the slider channel with the retainer at all times.

It is another object of the invention to provide a slider having improved means arranged therewith for guiding the elements more efiiciently and effectively into and through the slider channel.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a slider having a riblike portion arranged longitudinally and centrally of the channel thereof which not only acts to guide the fastener elements into and through the slider channel but co-operates with the separating end connection to prevent the slider from twisting relative thereto, and also acts to guide the pin-like member into proper engagement with the retainer.

Various other objects and advantages of this invention will be more apparent in the course of the following specification, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, there is shown for the purpose of illustration, an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a completely separable slide fastener with which my invention is shown incorporated,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the separating end connection and the lower portion of the fastener showing the ice pin member being inserted into position through the slider channel with the upper wing of the slider removed,

Fig. 4 is a plan view showing the parts in substantially the same position they assume in Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner side of the lower wing of the slider with the top wing removed, and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fastener element constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shownin Fig. 1 a slide fastener with which my invention is incorporated having a separating and connection arranged therewith. Such a fastener consists generally of a pair of stringer tapes 2 and 3 having opposed beaded edges 4 to which there is attached'a 'seriesof spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements 5. At the lower nd'bf the'stringers, there is arranged 'aconve'ntional separating end connection for completely separating the stringers ina manner well known to those skilled in the art. Such a separating end connection consists of a tube-like member'6 attached to the beaded edge 3 of the tape 2 andfto' which there is securely attached a box-like retainer member 7. On the other stringer 3, there is arranged a pin member 8 which is adapted to be disposed'in the opening 9 in the retainer 7 when it is-desired to close the fastener. There is arranged 'on the fastener elements- 5,'a slider 10 for longitudinalmovement therealong for engaging and define substantially *a Y shaped channel IST WitIiiiithe' slider. On the outer side of one of the wings 12, there is arranged a lug portion 16 to which there is pivotally attached a tab or pull member 17 for manipulating the slider. According to the present invention, there is arranged centrally of each of the wings 12 on the inner side thereof, a longitudinally extending rib-like projecting portion 18 which extends preferably from the neck portion 13 to the opposite or lower end of the slider.

Each of the fastener elements 5 consists of a pair of leg or jaw portions 19 and a head portion 20 having a projection and recess carried thereby :for interlocking the fastener elements in a well known manner. Also, in accordance with the present invention, the head portion 20 of each of the fastener elements 5 is reduced in thickness. That is to say, the thickness of each of the head portions 20 of each of the elements is substantially less in a direction longitudinally of the fastener than the thickness of the element at the leg or jaw portions 19 so as to provide substantially a continuous groove or channel 21 centrally of the opposed series of fastener elements on both sides of the fastener when the elements are interlocked with one another and the fastener is closed, as more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.

In opening and closing the fastener, as more clearly shown in Fig. 2, it will be seen that the reduced head portions 20 of the fastener elements are disposed in the slider channel 15 between the rib-like portions 18 of the slider wings 12 and that the leg or jaw portions 19 are disposed to either side thereof in the deeper portions of the channel. In other words, the rib-like portions 18 are disposed in the longitudinally extending channel or groove 21 provided by the reduced head portions 20 on both sides of the fastener. One function of these rib-like portions 18 is an aid in guiding the fastener elements 5 into and through the slider channel 15 so as to position them in proper alignment with one another. I

When the fastener is moved to its fully open position, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, with the pin member 8 being disassembled from its position in the opening 9 of the retainer 7, it will be seen that the rib-like portions 18 prevent the slider from twisting on the stringer thereby pro- Patented Aug; 9, 19 60 3 viding proper alignment at all times of the slider channel with the retainer. These rib like portions 18 not only co-operate with the fastener elements 5, due to the construction thereof, to prevent such twisting but they also co-operate with the innerside of the tube-like member 6 which they abut to aid in such alignment.

When the pin member 8 is inserted into and moved through the slider channel 15 to assemble the parts of the separating end connection so as to close the fastener, it will be seen that the rib-like portions 18 also act to guide the pin member through the slider channel and into its correct and seated position in the retainer 7 which is another important aspect of the invention.

As a result of my invention, it Will be seen that there is provided a slide fastener of an improved construction and so designed as to greatly facilitate the operation and function thereof. It will be noted that the providing of these rib-like portions in the slider channel and the narrow head portions on the fastener elements with which they co-operate tends for a smooth operating and fiat fastener.

While I have shown and described an embodiment which my invention may assume in practice, it will be understood that this embodiment is merely for the purpose of illustration and description, and that other forms may be devised within the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a slide fastener of the class described comprising a pair of stringer tapes having a series of spaced-apart interlocking fastener elements attached to their opposed edges, a slider arranged on said elements for longitudinal movement therealong for engaging and disengaging the same, said slider consisting of a pair of spaced-apart wings connected by a neck portion at one end thereof so as to provide a substantially Y-shaped channel therebetween,

each of said fastener elements having an attaching portion and a reduced head portion so as to provide substantially a longitudinally extending continuous groove centrally of the fastener elements on both sides thereof when they are interengaged, a longitudinally extending rib-like portion arranged on the inner surface of each of said wings in opposed relation and centrally thereof, which rib-like portions are adapted to be disposed in the respective grooves on each side of the fastener, a separating end connection arranged at one end of said fastener comprising a tube-like member attached to the edge of one of said stringers at the end thereof, a box-like retainer member attached to said tube-like member, a pin-like member attached to the edge of the other of said stringers at the same end thereof, said retainer adapted to house both the tube-like and pin-like members which members are spaced-apart from one another a distance slightly greater than the width of the rib-like portions of said slider Wings whereby the rib-like portions will be disposed therebetween when the slider is moved to its fully open position at that end of the fastener and cooperate therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,083,775 Thomas Jan. 6, 1914 1,723,496 Ulrich 5. Aug. 6, 1929 1,776,142 Binns Sept. 16, 1930 1,966,255 Marinsky July 10, 1934 2,312,494 Soave Mar. 2, 1943 2,582,456 Poux Jan. 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,755 Germany Feb. 21, 1913 

